Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) sealed a sensational half-hour for the new training partnership of John and Thady Gosden with a blistering four-length victory in the $4 million G1 Dubai Turf following the win of the stable's Haqeeqy (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the Lincoln H., the feature race on the first day of the British turf season.
The 5-year-old Lord North races in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed's young son Sheikh Zayed, while, poignantly, Haqeeqy is owned by Sheikh Hissa, the daughter of Sheikh Hamdan, who died on Wednesday and was remembered in a moving light show after racing at Meydan.
The class act in the field on his British form last year, which included his impressive G1 Prince of Wales's S. win at Royal Ascot, Lord North was switched off towards the rear of the field by Frankie Dettori, who was happy to bide his time as First Contact (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) made the running in company with Eqtiraan (GB) (Helmet {Aus}).
With just three horses behind him on the turn, Dettori angled his mount wide turning into the straight and, showing no sign of rustiness in his first start since running fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in November, Lord North switched on the after-burners 400 metres from home to surge three lengths clear of Japanese raider Vin De Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
The Marco Botti-trained Felix (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), recent runner-up in Lingfield's G3 Winter Derby, finished with an eye-catching late thrust to take third ahead of Epic Hero (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) for Simon Crisford. The disappointment of the race was Godolphin's Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who trailed home last having never really got involved.
Overseeing the stable's runners in Dubai, Thady Gosden, whose name was officially added to the training licence on Friday, said of last year's G1 Prince of Wales's S. winner, “We were always hoping he would run well as he was in brilliant form out here. But he definitely put that race to bed very well from pretty far back. We will take him home now and then maybe give him a break and target the race he won last year at Ascot.”
Dubai has been the scene for plenty of success for Dettori over the years, including three wins in the Dubai World Cup, and he duly performed his customary flying dismount for the reduced crowd at Meydan.
He said of his latest Group 1 victory, “It was a nice pace. I had plenty of horse and I know he stays really well. So I kicked early and he flew. I didn't do much else after that, he did the rest.”
Lord North, who graduated from heritage handicaps in 2019 to top-flight company last year, was described by his jockey as a “handful in the early days”.
Dettori added, “So he got gelded and he is much more focused now. He is a horse for all the good races this year. I'm sure the Gosdens will have a plan.
“I've come back to where I started all those years ago. I got a magazine last night celebrating 25 years of the World Cup and I think I've ridden in most of them.”
Regrettably for Dettori, his mount for this year's World Cup, Great Scot (GB), was scratched after getting loose on the way to post.
Pedigree notes
The Godolphin-bred Lord North is out of Najoum (Giant's Causeway), a winner at Redcar and Kempton in the royal blue and a half-sister to the GI Blue Grass S. winner and stallion Bandini (Fusaichi Pegasus). Another half-sibling, the G3 Sweet Solera S. winner Discourse (Street Cry {Ire}), has also worked well with Dubawi, producing two listed winners including Discursus (GB).
Lord North shares his grandam Divine Dixie (Dixieland Band) with the GI Ashland S. winner Out For a Spin (Hard Spun), while his third dam, the GI Santa Anita Oaks victrix Hail Atlantis (Seattle Slew) produced the sire Stormy Atlantic from a mating with Giant's Causeway's sire Storm Cat.
This is also the family of the GI Summer S. winner Decorated Invader (Declaration of War), G1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up Olendon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and the stakes-winning half-siblings Atlando (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) and Incanto Dream (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).
Najoum has a 4-year-old filly by Teofilo (Ire) named Divine Blessing (GB) in training with Alex Pantall, a 2-year-old colt by Postponed (Ire), and a yearling filly by New Approach (Ire). She was covered last year by Dubawi's son Too Darn Hot (GB).
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI TURF SPONSORED BY DP WORLD-G1, $4,000,000, Meydan, 3-27, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:46.46, gd.
1–LORD NORTH (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Najoum, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Divine Dixie, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Hail Atlantis, by Seattle Slew
O-HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing; B-Godolphin (IRE);
T-John Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. $2,320,000. Lifetime Record:
G1SW-Eng, 13-7-3-1, $3,002,874. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vin de Garde (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Skia (Fr), by
Motivator (GB). O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm
(JPN); T-Hideaki Fujiwara. $800,000.
3–Felix (GB), 126, g, 5, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Luminance (Ire), by
Danehill Dancer (Ire). (32,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TAOCT;
24,000gns HRA '19 TATAUT). O-K Sohi & Partner; B-Fittocks
Stud (GB); T-Marco Botti. $400,000.
Margins: 3, 1, 3/4.
Also Ran: Epic Hero (Fr), Land of Legends (Ire), Lord Glitters (Fr), Eqtiraan (Ire), Court House (Ire), Glen Force (Ire), First Contact (Ire), Zainhom, Al Suhail (GB). Scratched: Regal Reality (GB).
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.
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